Machine for harvesting and chopping of maize or similar stalk-type harvests

ABSTRACT

A machine for the mowing and chopping-up of maize or the like should be able to operate independent of the distance between rows and the direction of the rows of the material to be harvested, and should also be able to pick up in a perfect manner stalks that have been flattened. To this effect one or several rotating drawing-in and mowing devices (6, 9) are arranged in front of a chaff-blower (1) with feed rollers (3), which drawing-in and mowing devices (6, 9) each comprise several cutting points (15;56) with adjacent working widths distributed over the front operating range. The drawing-in and mowing device positioned closest to the feed rollers at the same time acts as a transfer element for the harvested material coming from the cutting points arranged further away.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 514,202,filed July 14, 1983, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a machine for the harvesting and chopping-upof maize or similar stalk-type harvests, which draws-in and mows thestalks of the harvest in the upright position and subsequently feedsthem to a chaff-blower, feed rollers being provided to feed the cutstalks to the chaff-blower, with which after the mowing the stalks ofthe harvested material are moved on and in co-operation with guide partsare brought forward in a slanting position in the direction of travel,in which their cut ends are caught in the feed rollers provided in frontof the chaff-blower. Such machines are also often called forageharvesters.

The known machines of this kind, irrespective of the drawing-in systemwhich they use or whether they are made for one or more rows, mustalways travel more or less accurately along the row of stalks and arebound to the distances between rows determined by the sowing. Attemptshave already been made on multi-row machines to make the travellingaccuracy along the rows less sensitive by the adjustability of thedrawing-in elements, or to facilitate the work of the driver byincorporating automatic steering mechanisms. However, both methods arestructurally expensive whilst the fact that the machine is bound to therow does not change.

It is, therefore, the aim of the invention to create a machine for theharvesting and chopping-up of maize or similar stalk-type harvests whichcan operate independent of the distances between the rows and thedirection of the rows, i.e. a machine which can also be used forbroadcast harvests (comparable to a harvester-thresher for grain). Themachine must furthermore be able to pick up broken harvests, eg.flattened maize, without problems.

In order to achieve this aim the machine of the kind described and wherein the direction of travel one or more rotating drawing-in and movingdevices with in each instance several adjacent individual cutting widthsformed by cutting points distributed over the front working range, areprovided in front of the chaff-blower with feed rollers and at least thedrawing-in and mowing devices positioned closest to the feed rollers atthe same time form the transfer element for the cut harvested materialfed in by the cutting points positioned further away from the feedrollers.

Particularly advantageous is a design of the cutting devices of themachine wherein the bottom peripheral edge of the rotating elements needno longer be machined, the precision adjustment at the support betweenthe rotating elements with the cutting blades and the stationarycounterblades falls away, and because there are no stationarycounterblades the maintenance required during operation is practicallyzero, seeing that the mowing blades which rotate at a high speed in themanner of a rotary mower and cut or hit off the stalks of the harvestedmaterial in a clean manner, have a long service life.

Further features and details of this embodiment of the invention, inparticular with regard to the obtaining of different cutting lengths,defined according to place and time, and in connection with the relationbetween the speed of travel of the machine, the peripheral speed of therotating elements and the frequency of the rotor blades, are disclosed.

As was furthermore ascertained, this embodiment of the cutting devicesaccording to the invention also renders possible an overallconstructionally simplified design of the machine. It is, as a matter offact, quite possible to increase the diameter of the rotating elementsso considerably that the machine can be constructed with only twodrawing-in and mowing devices provided in front of the feed rollers ofthe chaff blower, without reducing the overall operating width of themachine. Also a design with only one large drawing-in and mowing device,determining the overall operating width of the machine, is possible. Aspecial advantage in this connection is that it is possible to providean overhead drive for the rotating elements on the one hand and themowing blades on the other hand, resulting in an overall reduction ofthe ground clearance of the machine.

In the following the subject of the invention will be explained ingreater detail with reference to a drawing which diagrammaticallyillustrates two exemplified embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective overall view of a first embodiment of a machineaccording to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial top view onto two adjacent drawing-in and mowingdevices of the machine of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a view, partially cut, according to line III--III in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective overall view of a second, particularlyadvantageous embodiment of a machine according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial top view onto the, in the travelling direction, leftworking range of the machine of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a vertical partial section approximately along line VI--VI ofFIG. 4, with a drive mechanism for the rotating elements and cuttingdevice which has been turned by 90° in the drawing plane.

FIGS. 7a-d are partial top views onto an enlarged cutout A according toFIG. 5 showing four different operating phases.

FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of an alternate embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The machine, which in FIG. 1 moves forward in the operating ortravelling direction--arrow F--comprises a chaff blower which isarranged transversely to the direction of travel and is attached bymeans of its (non-illustrated) drive to a supporting frame 2. Positionedin front of the chaff blower are several driven feed rollers 3, betweenwhich a horizontal feed gap 4 is formed, and through which the harvestedmaterial is fed by the feed rollers 3 into the housing of the chaffblower 1, where it is comminuted and blown out upwards by way of atangential discharge pipe 5. The feed gap 4 may be adjustable.

In order to feed the chaff blower 1 by way of the feed rollers 3, in thedirection of travel F several--in the illustrated embodimentfour--rotating drawing-in and moving devices 6, 7 and 8, 9 are providedin front thereof, with adjacent, individual working widths formed byseveral cutting points distributed over the front operating range. Thedrawing-in and mowing devices 7, 9 positioned closest to the feedrollers 3, at the same time form the transfer element for the cutharvested material fed in by the drawing-in and mowing devices 6, 8arranged further away from the feed rollers 3.

As can be noted in particular from FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the drawing-inand mowing devices 6 to 9 consists of a rotating element 12 whichrotates around a vertical or at least substantially vertical axis 10 andis provided on the periphery with grippers 11, 21, eg. in the form oftoothed rims, and of guides 13, 13' . . . which extend circumferentiallyaround certain regions, the design and function of which guides will beexplained further on. Every rotating element 12, which expediently isprovided in the form of a closed hollow part, is provided on theunderside with cutting blades 14 in a number which corresponds to thenumber of grippers 11, 21, which project outwards beyond the peripheryand expediently are arranged in such a manner that they can be replaced.These cutting blades 14 cooperate with several stationary counterblades15 which define the cutting points. In the illustrated exemplifiedembodiment the four drawing-in and mowing devices 6 to 9 each cooperate,in their region which in the direction of travel lies at the front, withthree counterblades 15 provided within a separate drawing-in gap 16. Inthis manner a relatively uniform stubble picture is obtained in thefield within the overall working width B of the machine (e.g. 2.70 m),also when the machine is used for broadcast harvests. The more cuttingpoints are provided on the drawing-in and mowing devices, the moreuniform the stubble picture will become.

As can also still be noted from FIG. 3, the rotating elements 12 of thedrawing-in and mowing devices 6 to 9 rest on bottom arms or plates 18,and are also driven from underneath, e.g. by means of an enclosedchain-drive 19. The adjacent drawing-in and mowing devices 6, 7 and 8, 9are in each instance driven in opposite directions as indicated by thearrows in FIG. 1, and the two drawing-in and mowing devices 7, 9positioned closest to the feed rollers 3 feed the cut harvest to thefeed rollers 3 in the same direction from the front.

When the machine, which may be pulled by a tractor or may also beself-propelled, is moved forward in the direction of travel F, thenirrespective of the distance between the rows and the direction of therows, within the entire working width B determined by the two outerguides 20, all the harvested material is picked-up by the fourdrawing-in and mowing devices 6 to 9, i.e. also the broadcast harvest,cut in the upright position and is then with the cut-off ends fed intothe feed rollers 3, the stalks being positioned slightly inclinedforwards in the direction of travel F. The material cut by the two outerdrawing-in and mowing devices 6, 8 is first passed on to the offsetdrawing-in and mowing devices 7, 9 positioned nearest to the feedrollers 3, and from there, together with the material cut there, is fedto the feed rollers 3 in the same direction from the front. It isexpedient when the drawing-in and mowing devices 7, 9, which also act astransfer elements, are provided with gripper rims 21, between which aguide 13"' forms a transfer duct 23 (FIG. 2) which keeps the harvesttaken over from devices 6, 8 separate from its own harvest. In thismanner the cut harvest of the drawing-in and mowing devices 7, 9 actingas transfer element gets to the feed rollers 3 in the form of twoseparate strands, as indicated by broken or dotted lines in FIG. 2.

The embodiment of the machine according to FIG. 1 to 3 can very easilybe modified in that in place of the illustrated four drawing-in andmowing devices 6 to 9 also six of such devices may be provided, forexample also with different diameters, in which case the drawing-in andmowing devices positioned nearest to the feed rollers would have to beprovided with a sufficiently large capacity for the transferredmaterial. It is also possible to reduce the number of drawing-in andmowing devices to, for example, two. The working width B of themachine--at an unchanged diameter of the rotating elements--would thenbe correspondingly smaller, but the advantage of the machine operatingindependent of the distance between rows and the direction of the rowswould also in this case be retained. Also with regard to the structuraldesign of the rotating elements forming the drawing-in and mowingdevices with the grippers and guides, different constructions arepossible.

A second, particularly advantageous embodiment of the machine isillustrated in FIGS. 4 to 7. As can first of all be noted from FIG. 4,the machine moved forward in the operating or travellingdirection--arrow F--is provided, the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 1to 3, with a chaff-blower 1 arranged cross-wise to the direction oftravel, which with its drive is attached to a supporting frame (notillustrated). In front of the chaff-blower 1 several driven feed rollers3 are provided inbetween which a more or less wide, possibly alsoadjustable, horizontal feed gap is formed, through which the harvestedmaterial fed to the feed rollers 3 gets into the housing of thechaff-blower 1, where it is comminuted and blown out upwards by way of atangential discharge duct 5.

To feed the feed rollers 3 of the chaff-blower 1, in the direction oftravel F several--in the illustrated, preferred exemplified embodimentonly two--rotating drawing-in and mowing devices 7, 9 are provided infront thereof, with adjacent individual working widths formed by severalcutting points distributed over the front operating range.

As can be noted in particular from FIGS. 4 and 6, each of the twodrawing-in and mowing devices 7, 9--the same as with the machine ofFIGS. 1 to 3--consists of a rotating element 12 which rotates around avertical or at least substantially vertical axis 10 and is provided onthe periphery with grippers or gripper rims. A cutting device isarranged underneath each rotating element 12, which expediently isprovided in the form of a hollow cylinder with top cover 12'.

Unlike the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, the cutting device comprisesdriven mowing blades 24 which rotate independently of the associatedrotating element 12, but at a considerably higher speed, and which cutoff the stalks 25 in the manner of a rotary mower in a free cut, i.e.without stationary counter-blade. As can be noted in detail from FIG. 6,for the drive of the mowing blades 24 a drive shaft 26 is provided whichextends through the rotating element 12, the centre axis of which driveshaft 26 divides or coincides with the vertical or substantiallyvertical rotating axis 10 of the rotating element 12. The bottom end ofthe drive shaft 26 is positioned and supported in a hub 28 provided on aslide piece 27, eg. in the form of a skid. A rotor 29 fixed to the driveshaft 26, which expediently is located inside the casing of the rotatingelement 12, is on its periphery provided with the mowing blades 24,which extend to under the casing of the rotating element and projectoutwards beyond same.

Above the mowing rotor 29, on the drive shaft 26 and co-axially to same,a hollow shaft 30 is positioned which drives the rotating element 12. Tothis effect the rotating element 12 may on the inside be provided withsteadying struts 31 attached to the casing, the other end of which isattached to a hub ring 32. The hub ring 32 is drive-coupled to thebottom end of the hollow shaft, either rigidly or, as shown in FIG. 3,by way of a friction coupling 34 kept under tension by springs 33. Thisprovides an overload protection for the rotating element 12.

As can furthermore be noted from FIG. 6, the drive of the drive shaft 26for the mowing rotor 24, 29 and the hollow shaft 30 for the rotatingelement 12 takes place from overhead by means of a common drive in putshaft 35 which--as can be noted from FIG. 4--is arranged above therotating element 12 in a horizontal position and cross-wise to thedirection of travel, but which in FIG. 6 is shown turned by 90° in thedrawing plane.

The drive input shaft 35 leads into a gear block 36, in which the topends of the drive shaft 26 and the hollow shaft 30 are positioned andare coupled to one another in such a manner that the speed supplied bythe drive input shaft 35 is split into two different speeds.

This can, for example, be done in such a manner that the drive inputshaft 35 is provided on its end leading into the gear block 36 with abevel pinion 37, which meshes with a bevel gear 38 attached to the driveshaft 26 for the mowing rotor 24, 29 with a reduction of, for example,1:2, so that the speed for the mowing rotor is half the speed of theinput shaft. A pinion 39 formed or put onto the drive shaft 26underneath the bevel gear 38 meshes with a gear wheel 41 provide on anintermediate shaft 40 in the gear block 36 with a reduction of, forexample, 1:5 furnishing the speed of the intermediate shaft which by wayof a pinion 42 with a further reduction of, for example, 1:4 istransmitted to a gear wheel 43 attached onto the hollow shaft 30, givingthe speed of the rotating element 12. Assuming that the speed of thedrive input shaft 35 is 1000 r.p.m., with the reductions indicated as anexample, one would obtain a speed of 500 r.p.m. for the drive shaft 26of the mowing rotor 24, 29 and of 25 r.p.m. for the hollow drive shaft30 of the rotating element 12, ie. a ratio of the drive speeds of 1:20.

As can be noted from FIG. 4, the drive-input shafts for the twodrawing-in and mowing devices 7,9 are coupled to one another in thecentre by a common miter gear 44, which in turn is driven by way of acardan shaft 45 or the like by an overhead shaft 45 of the chaff-blower1, preferably at the same speed as same, i.e. for example also at 1000r.p.m. In this connection it is expedient when the two drive inputshafts 34, which are enclosed in a pipe 47, and the common miter gear 44are arranged above and in front of the feed rollers 3 of thechaff-blower 1 in such a manner that they form an abutment or guide partwhich assists the slanting position of the stalks for feeding them intothe feed rollers. At the same time the pipes 47 which enclose the driveinput shaft 35 and are attached to the common miter gear 44 as well tothe gear block 36, form an upper support bridge for the two drawing-inand mowing devices 7, 9, which on the underside is supplemented by across-tie 48 by which the two slide pieces 27 eg. skids, are supportedagainst one another (FIG. 6).

As can be furthermore noted from FIGS. 4 and 6, the two drawing-in andmowing devices 7, 9 are enclosed at the rear, i.e. at the side oppositeto the direction of travel F, by a housing 50 which also covers the feedrollers 3 of the chaff-blower 1, which housing 50 with a concentriccurvature also engages around the sides of the two drawing-in and mowingdevices 7, 9, and ends in divider points 51 pointing to the front, i.e.in the direction of travel F of the machine. The distance between thesetwo divider points 51 determines the overall working width B of themachine. Within this overall working width further divider points 52 areassociated with each drawing-in and mowing device 7, 9, the undersidesof which are fastened to a supporting bar 53 which expediently isattached to the slide piece 27 in a detachable manner, and extendsunderneath the rotating element 12 and the mowing blades 24. The slidepiece 27 may in this case have a half ring 27', the supporting rods 53being flanged onto same by a circular section 53' connecting them (FIGS.5 and 6). Furthermore a central divider point 54 is provided between thetwo drawing-in and mowing devices 7, 9, the rear part of which mayexpediently be designed as a bottom guide surface 55 for the formedparcel of cut stalks when these are fed into the feed rollers 3 of thechaff-blower 1.

Similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, all divider points 51, 52, 54,extend parallel to one another in the direction of travel F of themachine and are arranged next to one another at the same distances b.The distances b between the divider points together form the overallworking width B of the machine. In the case of the embodiment of FIG. 4with a total of eleven divider points and ten distances or individualworking widths b, for b=0.24 m, the overall working width is thereforeB=2.40 m.

The same as with the machine of FIGS. 1 to 3, also here--except for thetwo lateral divider points 51--each of the divider points 52 forms adefined drawing-in and cutting point 56 for the stalks, whereas thecentral divider point 54 forms two drawing-in and cutting points, onefor the drawing-in and mowing device 7, the other for the drawing-in andmowing device 9. The one surface of the divider points 52 which extendsparallel to the direction of travel F of the machine, whereas the othersurface which extends against the direction of rotation of the rotatingelements--as well as the two surfaces of the central divider points54--enclose such an angle with the direction of travel that thedrawing-in and cutting point 56 is always positioned at about b/2. And,the same as for the machine according to FIGS. 1 to 3, it also hereapplies that the more drawing-in and cutting points (equals individualworking widths b) are provided on the drawing-in and mowing devices, themore uniform the stubble pattern will be, in particular when used forbroadcast harvests. However, whereas with the machine of FIGS. 1 to 3the individual cutting points are clearly defined by stationery counterblades, with the embodiment of the machine according to FIGS. 4 to 7,with which the stalks are cut by the mowing rotor 24, 29 in free cut,special measures and an adaptation of several factors are required, sothat also here the desired, timed and locally defined drawing-in andcutting points 56 are obtained:

As can be noted from FIGS. 5 and 6, the divider points 52, 54 form, attheir rear facing the drawing-in and mowing devices 7, 9, verticalsupporting and guide surfaces 57, which in the direction of rotation ofthe rotating elements 12 at first extend in a straight line or plane,slightly inclined in relation to the periphery of the associatedrotating element.

When, as illustrated, at the bottom edge of each rotating element 12 twogripper tooth rims 58, 59 are provided at a distance above one another,with the same close pitch, the bottom of the teeth correspondingapproximately to the diameter of a stalk, and when in a plane positionedunderneath same a further rim is arranged with a lesser number (eg. 24)of longer gripping teeth 60 which project outwards beyond the peripheryof the gripper teeth rims 58, 59 (FIG. 6), then the supporting and guidesurfaces 57 form a drawing-in gap which extends from the peripheralcircle of the gripping teeth 60 to the peripheral circle of the twogripper teeth rims 58, 59, bridging the vertical distance between thetwo gripper teeth rims 58, 59, in such a manner that their gripper teethpass over the rear region of the supporting and guide surfaces 57 atonly a slight distance, whereas the gripping teeth 60 pass underneaththe supporting and guide surfaces 57 forming the rear of the dividerpoints 52, 54. At the upper edge of each supporting and guide surface orslightly above same, guide fingers 61 are provided, which at firstextend longitudinally flush and parallel with the supporting and guidesurfaces 57, and then extend above the top gripper teeth rim 58 into theperipheral circle thereof, into a region positioned behind the rearsupporting and guide surface of the in the direction of rotationadjacent divider point (FIG. 5). These guide fingers 61 ensure, that cutstalks are always pressed into the tooth base of the gripper tooth rims58, 59, are kept there and taken along by same, and in this manner passthe subsequent drawing-in and cutting points 56 separate from theadditional stalks which are being picked up.

FIGS. 7a to d show, in chronological sequence, four different workingphases which occur during the use of the machine, for a working width b.FIG. 7a shows how a stalk which during the forward movement of themachine in the direction of travel F has got between two divider points52 and into the peripheral circle of the gripping teeth 60, is grabbedby one of these gripping teeth, and under the influence of the furtherforward movement of the machine as well as the rotational movement ofthe rotating element with the gripping teeth, is drawn in the directionagainst the supporting and guide surface 57 of the adjacent dividerpoint. FIG. 7b shows the stalk in its draw-in position, in which it islocated directly behind the front corner at the rear of the dividerpoint, related to the direction of rotation, and is held there betweenthe supporting and guide surface 57 thereof, the guide finger 61 as wellas between the gripping tooth 60 and the backs of adjacent teeth of thetwo superimposed gripper tooth rims 58, 59. FIG. 7c shows the cutting byone of the blades 24 of rotor 29 which takes place at this moment and atthis point. FIG. 7d shows the cut stalk being moved on in the directionof rotation towards the feed rollers 3 of the chaff-blower 1; it can benoted that the cut stalk is pressed by the guide finger 61 of thedivider point into the tooth base of the two upper gripper tooth rims58, 59, and in this manner can pass the next cutting point or pointsseparately from other stalks coming in, until it is released from thegripper tooth rims 58, 59 just in front of the feed rollers 3 of thechaff-blower 1, possibly with the aid of strippers engaging betweensame, and moves with the cut end at the front against the direction oftravel F of the machine between the feed rollers 3. From FIG. 7d it canalso be noted that a next stalk has already been grabbed by a furthergripping tooth 60 and is drawn-in by same to the divider point, i.e.phase 1 is repeated.

However, the illustration of the four different phases according toFIGS. 7a to 7d must only be regarded as idealised and diagrammatic.

When the stalks follow one another very closely in the zone between twodivider points, i.e. at a particularly small distance between stalksand/or a high travelling speed, it may well happen that the stalks arenot only grapped and drawn-in by the long gripping teeth 60, but alsoengage directly into the teeth of the gripper tooth rims 58, 59 in thespace between two gripping teeth 60, and are drawn-in by same behind thenext divider point to the drawing-in and cutting point 56. There theyare cut off in the same manner as shown in FIG. 7c, and are then movedon by the gripper tooth rims. This means that the machine can also beused for harvests where the stalks are very close together, eg. forrape. When harvesting maize, the stalks of which must at any rate bespaced at a specific minimum distance from one another, also in the caseof broadcast material, under normal conditions, i.e. when the stalks areupright and at not too high a travelling speed, one will obtainapproximately a sequence according to FIGS. 7a to 7d, i.e. each of thestalks will be grabbed and drawn-in mainly by the gripping teeth 60.

Irrespective of whether the stalks are drawn-in by the gripping teeth 60and/or the teeth of the gripper tooth rims 58, 59, because of thedimensioning of the number and the peripheral speed of the mowing blade24 in dependence on the peripheral speed of the rotating element 12, itis always ensured that a cutting frequency is obtained which cuts thedrawn-in stalks always at the same drawing-in and cutting point 56 (seeFIGS. 7b and c). The relations which in this connection apply betweenthe speed or peripheral speed of the rotating elements, the travellingspeed of the machine and the speed or peripheral speed of the mowingrotors and accordingly the cutting sequence or cutting frequency will inthe following be explained in greater detail with reference to anumerical example:

Based on the requirement that the peripheral speed of the rotatingelements 12 must correspond approximately to the running-in speed of thestalks 25 into the chaff-blower 1, so that no accumulation of materialwill occur in front of the feed rollers, it will be assumed that theperipheral speed of the feed rollers is 2 m/sec, and accordingly alsothe feed or running-in speed of the cut stalks will reach approximatelythis value. It is furthermore assumed that with the machine illustratedin the drawing the two rotating elements 12 have in the zone of thegripping teeth 60 a diameter of 1.5 m.

From the applicable equation: ##EQU1## a speed of 0.4 rev/sec (=24r.p.m.) is calculated for each rotating element.

It will furthermore be assumed that the mowing rotor 24, 29 has aslightly smaller diameter of 1.4 m and that its speed--as alreadyindicated above in the numerical example--lies in the ratio of 20:1 tothe speed of the rotating element 12. The speed of the mowing rotor 24,29 is therefore 8 rev/sec (=480 r.p.m.) and accordingly the Peripheralspeed of the mowing rotor=8 sec⁻¹.π. 1.4 m=35 m/sec.

This peripheral speed of the mowing rotor suffices to knock off thestalk type harvest by a free cut, but on the other hand is not yet sohigh that the stalks could be pushed away.

If one furthermore assumes--as already indicated above, that at anoverall working width of the machine of B=2.40 m, the individual workingwidths or distances between divider points are b=0.24 m, and assumingfurthermore that (because of the conical shape of the divider points) atthe rear of the divider points drawing-in and cutting points 56 for thestalk occur at about b/2=0.12 m, then the time required so that thestalk which runs in in the most unfavourable manner according to FIG. 7ais moved by the long gripping tooth 60 of the rotating element 12 intothe drawing-in and cutting position 56, is determined by the equation.##EQU2##

At a travelling speed of the machine of 7.2 km/h=2 m/sec, whichcorresponds to the peripheral speed of the rotating elements during the0.06 sec the machine also moves 0.12 m closer to the stalk to be cut, sothat the cutting position according to FIGS. 7b and c is reachedexactly.

From this it follows for the mowing rotor, that in each instance at thisinterval, i.e. every 0.06 sec, a cutting operation must take place sothat every stalk brought into the position according FIG. 7b is cut offthere according to FIG. 7c. At the assumed mowing rotor speed of 8rev/sec and the drawing-in time of 0.06 sec, the number of requiredmowing blades for the mowing rotor is calculated from the equation##EQU3## ie. at least 2 mowing blades are required.

When the machine is used for other harvests, which compared to maizestand very close together, such as for example rape, it is recommendedthat, based on the same values of the above numerical example, thenumber of blades on the mowing rotor is increased to 3 so that an evenhigher cutting frequency will be obtained, and so as to ensure thatevery stalk located in the drawing-in and cutting position according toFIGS. 7b and c is also cut off there.

Also the embodiment of FIGS. 4 to 7 is not limited to the illustratedexample described in greater detail in the foregoing. This applies inparticular to the numerical data, which at any rate are to be understoodas an example only. Although the design of the machine according toclaim 7 renders possible the particularly preferred embodiment accordingto FIGS. 4 to 7, and in addition also permits a construction, as shownin FIG. 8, with only one mowing and drawing-in device offset to one sideof the feed rollers, i.e. also a machine split down the middle accordingto FIG. 4, this design can also advantageously be used for machinesequipped with several individual drawing-in and mowing devices, e.g.according to the exemplified embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 with fourrotating individual drawing-in and mowing devices.

For this one only requires a further drive transmission from the twodrawing-in and mowing devices closest to the feed rollers of thechaff-blower to the other drawing-in and mowing devices, which can takeplace by way of drive couplings provided underneath, in the same mannerin which it is any way possible to provide instead of the overhead drivefor the rotating elements and mowing rotors illustrated and described inFIGS. 4 to 7, a corresponding underneath drive, or an overhead drive ofthe rotating elements and underneath drive of the mowing rotors (forexample in the case of a non-coaxial arrangement of the two parts).

We claim:
 1. A machine for harvesting and chopping up maize or similarstalk-type harvests comprising a chaff-blower, feed rollers for feedingcut stalks to said chaff-blower, spaced guide means for guiding stalksto be cut, and drawing-in and mowing means rotatable about asubstantially vertical axis and operable to draw in and mow the stalksof the harvest in the upright position and subsequently deliver the cutstalks to said feed rollers with the cut-off ends of the stalks facingsaid feed rollers, said spaced guide means being disposed forwardly ofsaid drawing-in and mowing means for guiding said stalks to saiddrawing-in and mowing means as the machine is moved forwardly, andspaced guide means comprising two outer guide elements disposedlaterally outwardly of said drawing-in and mowing means, said two outerguide elements having forward extending end portions which are spacedfrom one another by a distance which defines the cutting width of themachine, said drawing-in and mowing means being operable to drawn in andcut a plurality of stalks within said cutting width at a plurality ofdrawn-in and mowing locations spaced laterally across the front of themachine, said plurality of drawing-in and mowing locations and saidguide means being operable to harvest crops within said cutting widthindependently of the distance between the rows and the direction of therows of said stalks to be harvested.
 2. A machine according to claim 1,wherein said drawing-in and mowing means comprises a rotating elementrotatable about a substantially vertical axis, said rotating elementhaving gripper means about the periphery thereof for engaging anddisplacing said stalks, and cutting means underlying said gripper means.3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein said cutting means comprisescutting blades mounted to rotate with said rotating element, saidcutting blades underlying said gripper means, and stationarycounter-blades disposed to cooperate with the rotating cutting blades tocut said stalks, said stationary counter-blades defining said draw-inand mowing locations.
 4. A machine according to claim 2, wherein saidcutting means comprises cutting blades rotatable independently of theassociated rotating element, and drive means for rotating said cuttingblades at a peripheral speed higher than the peripheral speed of saidrotating element, said cutting blades cutting said stalks with a freecut.
 5. A machine according to claim 2 further comprising supportingmeans for supporting said guide means generally forwardly of saiddrawing-in and mowing locations, said support means being disposed aheadof said drawing-in and mowing locations considered in the rotationaldirection of said rotating element.
 6. A machine according to claim 1,wherein two drawing-in and mowing means are provided, said twodrawing-in and mowing means being disposed in front of said feedrollers, each of said two drawing-in and mowing means having an overalldiameter to provide a working width of the machine within the range ofabout 2 to 3 meters.
 7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein thereare at least five drawing-in and mowing locations for each of saiddrawing-in and mowing means.
 8. A machine according to claim 1, whereinonly one drawing-in and mowing means is provided, said one drawing-inand mowing means being laterally offset relative to said feedingrollers.
 9. A machine according to claim 2 further comprising drivingmeans for driving said feed rollers at a peripheral speed whichcorresponds approximately to the traveling speed of the machine, saiddrive means also driving said chaff-blower and said gripper means at aperipheral speed substantially equal to the first said peripheral speed,said cutting means comprising at least two rotating blades, said drivemeans rotating said cutting blades at a peripheral speed within therange of 10 to 20 times faster than that of the first said peripheralspeed.
 10. A machine according to claim 2 further comprising drive meansabove said rotating element for driving said rotating element and saidcutting means, and underlying side piece means beneath said rotatingelement for supporting said drive means.
 11. A machine according toclaim 10, wherein said drive means comprises a drive shaft which extendsthrough said rotating element, a hollow shaft disposed about said driveshaft, said rotating element being mounted on said hollow shaft, a gearblock means coupling said drive shaft and said hollow shaft such thatthe speed of said drive shaft and the speed of said hollow shaft aredifferent.
 12. A machine according to claim 10, wherein said drive meanscomprises two substantially horizontally disposed drive shafts betweentwo drawing-in and mowing means and extending transversely of themachine, said drive means further comprising a miter gear means couplingsaid two shafts, and a cardan shaft between said miter gear means andsaid chaff-blower.
 13. A machine according to claim 2, wherein saiddraw-in and mowing locations are disposed generally rearwardly of saidguide means, at least one of said guide means having a supportingsurface cooperable with said gripper means to provide a draw-in spacefor said stalks with said draw-in space getting progressively smaller inthe direction of rotation of said gripper means as said rotating elementrotates.
 14. A machine for harvesting and chopping up maize and similarstalk-type harvests comprising a chaff-blower, feed rollers for feedingcut stalks to said chaff blower, spaced guide means for guiding stalksto be cut, and at least one drawing-in and mowing means having agenerally circular configuration and rotatable about a substantiallyvertical axis, said drawing-in and mowing means being operable to drawin and mow the stalks of the harvest in the upright position andsubsequently deliver the cut stalks to said feed rollers with thecut-off ends of the stalks facing the feed rollers, said spaced guidemeans being disposed forwardly of said drawing-in and mowing means forguiding said stalks to a plurality of draw-in and mowing locations assaid machine moves forwardly, said drawn-in and mowing locations beingspaced along a peripheral portion of said drawing-in and mowing means,said spaced guide means comprising two outer guide elements disposedlaterally outwardly of said drawing-in and mowing means, said two outerguide elements having forward extending end portions which are spacedfrom one another by a distance which defines the cutting width of themachine, said draw-in and mowing locations being spaced generallytransversely across the space between said outer guide elements, saiddrawing-in and mowing means being operable to be moved forwardly to cuta plurality of stalks passing into the space between said outer guideelements and into said plurality of draw-in and mowing locations, saidplurality of draw-in and mowing locations and said guide means beingoperable to harvest crops within said cutting width independently of thedistance between the rows and the direction of the rows of said stalksto be harvested.
 15. A machine according to claim 14, wherein said guidemeans are provided for guiding stalks to each of said draw-in and mowinglocations.
 16. A machine according to claim 15, wherein said pluralityof draw-in and mowing locations and said guide means are disposed toprovide for harvesting broadcast crops.
 17. A machine for harvesting andchopping up maize or similar stalk-type harvests comprising achaff-blower, feed rollers for feeding cut stalks to said chaff-blower,spaced guide means for guiding stalks to be cut, and drawing-in andmowing means rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and operableto draw in and mow the stalks of the harvest in the upright position andsubsequently deliver the cut stalks to said feed rollers with thecut-off ends of the stalks facing said feed rollers, said spaced guidemeans being disposed fowardly of said drawing-in and mowing means as themachine is moved forwardly, said drawing-in and mowing means beingoperable to draw in and cut a plurality of stalks at a plurality ofdrawn-in and mowing locations spaced laterally across the front of themachine, and two transfer drawing-in and mowing means rotatable aboutsubstantially vertical axes and operable to draw in and mow the stalksof the harvest in the upright position and subsequently transfer the cutstalks to said drawing-in and mowing means such that the latter meansdelivers said transferred stalks to said feed rollers along with thestalks cut by said drawing-in and mowing means.
 18. A machine accordingto claim 17, wherein said transfer drawing-in and mowing means areprovided with a second rotating element rotatable about a substantiallyvertical axis, said second rotating element having second gripper meansabout the periphery thereof for engaging and displacing said stalks, andfixed passage means defining a passage for separating the stalks cut andtransferred by said transfer drawing-in and mowing means from the stalkscut by said drawing-in and mowing means.
 19. A machine according toclaim 18, wherein a first transfer drawing-in and mowing means transferscut stalks to an adjacent second drawing-in and mowing means and a thirdtransfer drawing-in and mowing means transfers cut stalks to an adjacentfourth drawing-in and mowing means, said first and second means rotatingin opposite directions, said third and fourth means rotating in oppositedirections, said second and fourth means being disposed closest to saidfeed rollers to feed said cut stalks in the same direction toward therear of the machine to said feed rollers.
 20. A machine for harvestingand chopping up maize or similar stalk-type harvests comprising achaff-blower, feed rollers for feeding cut stalks to said chaff-blower,spaced guide means for guiding stalks to be cut, and drawing-in andmowing means rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and operableto draw in and mow the stalks of the harvest in the upright position andsubsequently deliver the cut stalks to said feed rollers with thecut-off ends of the stalks facing said feed rollers, said spaced guidemeans being disposed forwardly of said drawing-in and mowing means asthe machine is moved forwardly, said drawing-in and mowing means beingoperable to draw in and cut a plurality of stalks at a plurality ofdrawn-in and mowing locations spaced laterally across the front of themachine, said drawing-in and mowing means comprising a rotating elementrotatable about a substantially vertical axis, said rotating elementhaving gripper means about the periphery thereof for engaging anddisplacing said stalks, and cutting means underlying said gripper means,and further comprising drive means rotating said rotating element suchthat the peripheral speed of said rotating element correspondsapproximately to the traveling speed of the machine and is at leastequal to the peripheral speed of the feed rollers, said gripping meanscomprising spaced gripping parts extending radially outwardly of a basecircle on said rotating element, said spaced gripping parts definingreceiving grooves therebetween for receiving said stalks, said grooveshaving a radial inner portion defining an operating zone which has aradial depth equal at least to the diameter of said stalks, said cuttingmeans comprising spaced cutting blades rotatable in a positionunderlying said gripper means, the number and peripheral speed of saidcutting blades at said operating zone being such as to provide saidplurality of draw-in and mowing locations spaced laterally across themachine such that a plurality of stalks passing into the space betweensaid guide means are cut as the machine moves forwardly.
 21. A machinefor harvesting and chopping up maize or similar stalk-type harvestscomprising a chaff-blower, feed rollers for feeding cut stalks to saidchaff-blower, spaced guide means for guiding stalks to be cut, anddrawing-in and mowing means rotatable about a substantially verticalaxis and operable to draw in and mow the stalks of the harvest in theupright position and subsequently deliver the cut stalks to said feedrollers with the cut-off ends of the stalks facing said feed rollers,said spaced guide means being disposed forwardly of said drawing-in andmowing means as the machine is moved forwardly, said drawing-in andmowing means being operable to draw in and cut a plurality of stalks ata plurality of drawn-in and mowing locations spaced laterally across thefront of the machine, said drawing-in and mowing means comprising arotating element rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, saidrotating element having gripper means about the periphery thereof forengaging and displacing said stalks, and cutting means underlying saidgripper means, at least one of said guide means being provided with aguide finger extending in the direction of rotation of said rotatingelement and into each of said draw-in and mowing locations, said guidefinger together with said gripper means forming a holding chamber forthe cut stalks.
 22. A machine for harvesting and chopping up maize orsimilar stalk-type harvests comprising a chaff-blower, feed rollers forfeeding cut stalks to said chaff-blower, spaced guide means for guidingstalks to be cut, and drawing-in and mowing means rotatable about asubstantially vertical axis and operable to draw in and mow the stalksof the harvest in the upright position and subsequently deliver the cutstalks to said feed rollers with the cut-off ends of the stalks facingsaid feed rollers, said spaced guide means being disposed forwardly ofsaid drawing-in and mowing means as the machine is moved forwardly, saiddrawing-in and mowing means being operable to draw in and cut aplurality of stalks at a plurality of drawn-in and mowing locationsspaced laterally across the front of the machine, said drawing-in andmowing means comprising a rotating element rotatable about asubstantially vertical axis, said rotating element having gripper meansabout the periphery thereof for engaging and displacing said stalks, andcutting means underlying said gripper means, drive means above saidrotating element for driving said rotating element and said cuttingmeans, underlying side piece means beneath said rotating element forsupporting said drive means, said drive means comprising twosubstantially horizontally disposed drive shafts between two drawing-inand mowing means and extending transversely of the machine, said drivemeans further comprising a miter gear means coupling said two shafts, acardan shaft between said miter gear means and said chaff-blower, andencasing means encasing said two drive shafts and said miter gear meansin front of said feed rollers to assist in effecting a slantingdisposition of said cut stalks as the latter are delivered to said feedrollers.